The invention relates to a method and apparatus of displaying a book. Particularly, the invention allows us an individual to displaying the picturesque or otherwise desirable contents of a book onto a vertical wall.
Photographic books or atlas books generally have large photographs contained therein that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Many books generally contain numerous photographs, pictures or text that are desirable to display in a public establishment such as a library or in one""s own home. Normally, these books containing splendid illustrations remain dormant from public view, closed up without light reflecting their intrinsic beauty to the eye of potential observers. These books remain closed and only display their magnificent contents when they are retrieved from their storage locations and the pages remain briefly open for a short-lived period of time. The walls of an establishment or a home remain bare or contain static images such as paintings or photograph collages that are difficult to store or change.
The present invention remedies these problems of underutilizing the majestic images and brilliant contents contained in various books and naked walls that lack any meaningful semblance. The present invention allows the contents of books to be displayed on a vertical wall for open view. Further, the present invention allows the contents displayed to be dynamic, allowing the proprietor of the book to change the display easily by merely removing the casing from the bracket assembly, retrieving the book from the chamber portion of the casing, turning the book to a desirable page and reinserting the book into the case. Finally, the case is hung back onto the bracket assembly attached to the wall and a new image is presented for all to see.
A search of the patent literature has a number of patents directed toward these problems, these being the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,683 Ahn, shows a book holder that is used to hold a book or scratch papers. As seen in FIG. 1, the book holder comprises a memo plate 8 and a contact plate 1. A book can rest on the shelves 9c and the vertical protrusions 9d hold the pages in place. Memos can be placed on the memo pad 8b. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,024 Brice, shows and adjustable bracket system which holds a book open to a desired page. As seen in FIG. 1, the book 12 is held open to a page by the front portion 32. FIG. 2 shows a rear, left perspective view of the bookstand where the arms 16 can slide in the direction indicated as 26 to accommodate varying widths of books.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,079 Goldber, shows a book holder that is designed to allow for a person lying down to read. The device can hold a book in a side position, and a spring biases the book to the front cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,680 Gemmen et al., shows a document holder comprises a transparent plate 22 and links 24, that are secured to a support surface 28. The lip 36 supports the lower portion of the documents. As seen in FIG. 4, a book can be placed in the display device where someone raises the transparent plate 22 as it rotates about point 26 (similar to a slider crank).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,099 Krapf, shows a magnetic scheduling board that is to be mounted on a wall. Shown in FIG. 3 and 4 is a side view of the board attached to a wall xe2x80x98Wxe2x80x99. The bail 31 rests in hook 52 and the legs 44 can pivot out to engage the wall so the board will be at an incline with respects to the wall. Given the constant width of the frame 24 in FIG. 4, it is not clear how the angle of the board 20 is obtained given the length of the legs 44.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,761 Jamar, shows an apparatus for mounting presentation boards. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the leg member 58 engages edge 26 and the board frame 20 rotates clockwise about edge 26 to a position shown in FIG. 3. Support member 56 will come in contact with edge 28 if the board 20 is accidentally bumped. Thus the board will remain attached to the wall unless the board rotates to the position shown in FIG. 2.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,125 Simon, shows a device for reading material over a bathtub. As seen in FIG. 3, straps 2 hold a book in place. The movable shield 9 slides through slot 10. The page turning clip 11 can extend through open area 13 to turn pages.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,296 Guzman Guillen, shows a book holder that holds a book for reading and has a light to illuminate the pages of the book. The first lever arm 20 is pivotally attached to the fixed pin 16 so the lever arm 20 will rotate in the horizontal plane. The second lever arm 30 is identical to the first lever arm 20 and is attached to the first lever arm by a wing nut assembly 40. As seen in FIG. 5, the book support 45 is attached to the second lever arm 30 and flanges 56 hold the book in place. The light 60 can illuminate the pages of the book.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,652 O""Brian, shows a book desk that can be easily removed and stored. As seen in FIG. 3 the book desk 10 hangs from channel strip 31. The prop flap 32 folds out to provide support againsts the wall. As seen in FIG. 6, the edge 34 is adapted to come in contact with the wall the hinge strap 37 allows the prop flap 32 to fold in toward the back cover 25. Then the back covers 25 and 27 fold fold together about spine 26.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,355,506 Brooksbank, shows a device that hangs on a wall which supports a writing pad.
The prior art fails to show a simplified system having a bracket system and the case where a book can be displayed upon a wall with minimal effort in time. The preferred embodiment of the invention allows an easy removal of the case from the wall and removal of the book contained therein the case in order to display a different page of the book. The prior art fails to show a system where the book desired to be displayed is easily inserted into the chamber region of the case and the case is inserted onto the bracket system and a fluid motion. Further, the prior art fails to show a book display system that can be manufactured with reasonable expense to produce and aesthetically pleasing display apparatus for owners of cherished books. Further, the prior art fails to show a simple spring biasing system that is adapted to force the forward surface of the book to the inner surface of a display case.
The invention is a book display apparatus has adapted to be mounted to a vertical wall and to display a book that has an outward surface and a rearward surface. The book display apparatus comprises a case that has an upper region, a central region, and a lower region. The case has a hanging system that has a first connector located in the upper region. The first connector has a contact surface described further herein. The case further has a book support system that has a substantially horizontal member with an upper surface thereon that is adapted to support the book. The case has a transparent front section that has an inner surface which is adapted to engage the outer surface of the book.
The book display apparatus further comprises a bracket system having an upper portion. The bracket system comprises a base platform that has a connection region located on the upper portion of the bracket system. The bracket system further has a spring biasing system having a spring member that is adapted to engage the rearward surface of the book to place a forward force thereon.
The first connector of the case is adapted to engage the connecting region of the bracket system and the spring biasing system is adapted to apply forced to the rearward surface of the book in a manner so the outward surface of the book is pressed upon the inner surface of the case.